Signaling system and apparatus



p 1936- A J. REGAN 2,053,110 SIGNALING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS I Filed Oct. 21, 1952 40 Amber Amber Red Red Green Green Main Cross Main Cross Main cr oas lnx /enror' Joseph G. Regan Deceased.

by Margaref W Regan, ExecuTr'ix.

b (LAM/wk His Attorney.

Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNITED- STATES SIGNALING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Joseph G. Regan, deceased, late of Schenectady,

N. Y., by Margaret W. Regan, executrix, Whit stone, N. Y.. assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application October 21, 1932, Serial No. 638,929

2 Claims.

The invention relates to signaling systems and apparatus and more particularly to signaling systems and apparatus for use in controlling street tramc,

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved control circuit and controller whereby the signal periods within a signaling cycle may be adjusted from a distant point, such as, for example, a central traflic control station.

The invention will be better understood from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The single figure in the drawing illustrates diagrammatically a trafllc control system and apparatus embodying the invention. It illustrates an impulse transmitter I0, an impulse receiver II and a signaling unit I2. The transmitter I6 is provided with a suitable driving motor I 3, which is illustrated as a synchronous disc motor comprising a disc I4, shaded pole magnets I5, of which only one is shown, and an operating coil i6 which is energized from the supply conductors I1 and I8. This may be a motor such as that shown in the patent to Hall 1,668,365, dated May 1, 1928.

The motor I3 is arranged to drive a contact disc l9 through its shaft 20, bevel gears 2|, shaft 22, gears 23 and shaft 24 upon which disc I9 is mounted. The disc I9 is made of insulating material and carries two concentric contact rings 25 and 26 which are engaged by brushes 21 and 28 respectively. The disc I9 is also provided with a contact 29 and a pivoted bell crank contact member 30 connected to the rings 26 and 25 respectively. When disc I9 rotates, one arm of the bell crank contact engages keys inserted in slots 3| of a stationary face plate 22 and causes an intermittent closing of an electric circuit through the brushes 2'! and 28 as will be hereinafter explained in detail.

The impulse receiver II comprises a rotating drum controller provided with cams 34, 35, 126, 31, 38, 39 and a ratchet wheel 40, all mounted on a common shaft 4|. The controller is rotated step by step upon each energization of an operating coil 43 which operates a core 44 to which a pawl 45 is pivotally attached and arranged to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 40. The circuit for the coil 43 may be traced from supply conductor l1, conductor 46 and 41, coil 43, conductor 48, brushes 21 and 28, conductor 49 back to supply line It. The cams 34, 35, 26, 31, It and 39 are arranged to raise, and lower, contacts so, 5|, 52, 53, 54 and 55, respectively, in such manner that the proper signaling sequence or cycle is obtained on the unit I2.

The signal unit I2 comprises two sets of signal lamps 56 and 51; 56 being arranged to control main street traillc, and 51 to control cross street traffic. Each set of signals comprises three lamps colored red indicating stop, amber indicating caution, and green indicating go and marked R, A and G, respectively, on the drawing. The circuits for the lamps are controlled by the cams of the drum controller through stationary contacts 58, 59, 60, SI, 62 and 69, as will be hereinafter explained in detail.

The rotation of the disc I 9, and bell-crank contact 30, causes the arm 33 to engage keys in the faceplate 32 and move the arm 33' of the bell-crank against contact 29 thereby closing an electric circuit between the concentric contact rings 25 and 26 and consequently brushes 21 and 28. The faceplate 32 is provided with a series of equally spaced radial slots 3| arranged annularly about the center of the faceplate, into which keys may be inserted in a manner necessary to obtain the desired sequence of operation of the bell crank 30.

Considering now the positions of the various parts of the apparatus as illustrated it will be noted that there are six keys, 63 to 68, arranged in faceplate 32. The arm 33 has just passed key 63 and the position of the controller cams is such that contacts 50, 53 and 54 are lowered, thereby closing the circuits of lamps A and G on the main street lights, and R on the cross street. The circuits may be traced as follows: conductors I1, 46, 41, contacts 50 and 58, conductor 10,

lamp A, conductors II and I8. For the lamp G of the main street signal, the circuit is as follows: conductors I1, 46, 41, contacts 54 and 62, conductor 12, lamp G and conductors 1I and I8. The circuit for the cross street R is as follows: conductor I1, 46, 41, contacts 53 and 6|, conductor 9|, lamp R, conductors II and I8.

As the disc I9 progresses in the direction of the arrow, the arm 33 engages key 64 and causes another operation of the pawl 45 and another advance of the controller cams. It will be noted that the ratchet wheel 40 is provided with six teeth. Each operation of the pawl 45 is arranged to move the controller cams of a revolution and, of course, six operations constitute one complete cycle of operation. The cam segments are accordingly so arranged that when the arm 33 engages key 64 the controller closes contacts 52 and 55 and opens-50, 53 and 54,

causing only lamp R on the main street and G on the cross street to be lit. The circuit for lamp R on the main street may be traced as follows: conductors I1, 46, 41, contacts 52 and 60,

conductor 92, lamp R, conductors II and I8. The circuit for the cross street G lamp is: conductors I1, 46, 41, contacts 55 and 69, conductor 93, lamp G, conductors H and I6.

In the arrangement of the cam segments illustrated the signals will remain the same for the next two operations of the controller, corresponding to the engagement of arm 33 with keys 65 and 66. Upon engagement of arm 33 with key 61, however, the controller cams cause the closing of contact 5t which controls the amber light on the cross street. This circuit is through conductors ll, 46, 41, contacts 5| and 59, conductor 94, lamp A, conductors 'II and I8. Upon engagement of the arm 33 with key 68 the cross street A and G and mainstreet R are extinguished and the R, cross street, and G main street, are lit. Upon the following engagement of arm 33 with key 63 the controller is again in the position illustrated and a full cycle of operation has been completed.

It will be evident from the above explanation that the length of a cycle of operation is dependent upon the speed at which disc I9 makes a complete revolution. It will also be evident that the changes in the signal combinations during a revolution are determined by the spacing of the keys in faceplate 32.

It has been found desirable at certain street intersections to change the respective time allowance, for trafiic progress, at difierent hours of the day. Thus, for example, it may be desirable to lengthen the green light period on the main street during the early morning and evening rush hours, yet during the middle of the day the green light periods for the main and cross streets should be equal since the number of vehicles on the cross street approximately equals that on the main street. In order to accomplish such settings it has been heretofore necessary to manually adjust the positions of the keys in faceplate 32 of each individual transmitter. In accordance with the invention such an adjustment may be made from any desired point,

remote from the transmitter as for example a and 68 determines the lengths of the various signal periods. Thus, key 63 initiates the caution A{ signal on the main street when the main street G and the cross street R" are showing.

Key64 causes the extinguishment of main street A and G, the cross street R" and lights the main street R and the cross street G". Keys 65 and 66 cause a progress of the controller drum, but with the cam arrangement shown, no change of signals occurs. Key 61 initiates the "A" on the cross street and key 68 extinguishes the cross street A.and reverses the R" and G" signals to R cross street and G main street. It is therefore evident that the'time of the main street (3" is determined by the distance between keys 68 and 63 and the time of the cross street G" is determined by the distance between keys 64' and 61 for any predetermined speed of disk IS. The distances between keys 63-64 and 61-68 respectively determine only the lengths of the caution, or amber, periods. Keys 65 and 66 may be used for other signal combinations.

In order to adjust or control the respective distances between keys 68-63 and 64-61 from a remote point, there is provided a disk sector 13 pivoted at its axis to rotate about the center of plate 32. The sector 13 is provided with radial slots 14, corresponding to slots 3| in plate 32 and with gear teeth on its periphery. The keys 66,

aosauo and 6B are mounted and arranged within the sector slots 14 as desired. The position of the sector itself is determined by a gear wheel 16 mounted on shaft 16 and arranged to engage the gear teeth on the sector. The shaft 16 is controlled by two ratchet wheels TI and I8, the teeth of which are oppositely arranged. The wheel 11 may be actuated by a pawl mounted on a plunger BI and operated by a. coil 82. The wheel 18 may be actuated by a pawl 83 mounted on a plunger 84 and operated by a coil 85. The

riod for the cross street should be desired, push button 88 can be operated and the sector thereby moved counter clockwise to increase the are distance between keys 65 and 66 and correspondingly decrease the arc distance between keys 63 and 63. The principles of the invention may be applied to any trafilc signaling system, but are particularly adapted to the system described which is the subject of a pending patent application, Serial No. 519,198, filed February 28, 1931, by Arthur B. Campbell and Claude F. Beyer.

What is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States. is:

1. In a trafiic signal controller provided with a rotating switch, a drum controller, a step-bystep operating mechanism for operating the controller responsive to intermittent closures of said switch, the combination of means for regulating the timing of the step-by-step mechanism including a stationary dial, keys placed therein in the path of said rotating switch for closing said switch at predetermined intervals during its r0- tation, a movable dial sector movable about the center of said stationary dial and provided with keys also arranged to intermittently close said switch, and means for moving said dial sector whereby the spacing of the actuating keys is changed and the timing of said drum controller is correspondingly changed.

2. In a trafiic signal controller provided with a rotating switch, a drum controller, a step-bystep operating mechanism for operating the controller responsive to intermittent closures of said switch, the combination of means for regulating the timing of the step-by-step mechanism including a stationary dial, keys placed therein in the path of said rotating switch for closing said switch at predetermined intervals during its rotation, a movable dial sector movable about the- MARGARET W. REGAN, Executrz'r 0f the Estate of Joseph G. Regan,

Deceased. 

